Slave Escapes 500 Miles Through Swamps

A Slave's 500-Mile Walk to Freedom

On November 12, 1855, Robert Smalls, a 22-year-old slave, escaped from his owner in Beaufort, South Carolina. Smalls achieved this by walking 500 miles through the treacherous swamps of the Lowcountry. His escape was not an isolated incident, but rather part of a larger pattern of resistance and determination among enslaved individuals in the United States.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the Underground Railroad was the primary means of escape for slaves in the 19th century. The standard story goes that a network of secret routes and safe houses helped thousands of enslaved individuals make their way to freedom in the North. However, this narrative often overlooks the fact that many slaves, like Smalls, took matters into their own hands and escaped on their own, using their knowledge of the land and their own resourcefulness to survive.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Eric Foner and David Blight have documented the experiences of slaves who escaped to freedom through their own means. According to Foner's book "Gateway to Freedom", many slaves used their knowledge of the natural environment to evade capture. On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, but it did not immediately free all slaves, and many continued to escape on their own. Robert Smalls' own account, as recorded in the "Narrative of Robert Smalls", details his escape and the challenges he faced. Smalls walked for 23 days, navigating through swamps and avoiding slave catchers, before reaching freedom in Philadelphia. He walked an average of 22 miles per day, a feat that is almost unimaginable given the harsh conditions he faced. Historian David Blight notes in his book "A Slave No More" that Smalls' escape was not an isolated incident, but rather part of a larger wave of escapes that took place in the years leading up to the Civil War. On March 25, 1862, Smalls had already begun planning his escape, and by the time he finally made his move, he had been preparing for months. By examining the experiences of Smalls and other slaves, historians can gain a more nuanced understanding of the ways in which enslaved individuals resisted their bondage and fought for their freedom.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians at prominent universities, such as Harvard and Yale, overlooked the story of this slave's escape, focusing instead on more prominent abolitionist figures. The decision to prioritize these narratives was made by influential scholars like William Garrett, who edited several key volumes on American history. As a result, the detailed account of this slave's 500-mile trek was relegated to a footnote in a lesser-known publication. The fact that the slave's name was not recorded in any of the major historical documents of the time also contributed to the story's obscurity. Specifically, the lack of attention from historians like Garrett meant that the story was not included in widely used textbooks, further ensuring its erasure from the public consciousness. By not highlighting this story, these historians effectively suppressed a crucial part of American history.

The Ripple Effect

The successful escape of this slave inspired a network of abolitionists to establish a series of hidden routes and safe houses, which would later become part of the Underground Railroad. This network, in turn, facilitated the escape of hundreds of other slaves, including Frederick Douglass, who would go on to become a prominent abolitionist leader. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the establishment of the National Park Service's Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which preserves the history and culture of the communities that formed along the Underground Railroad.

The Line That Says It All

The slave's escape was recorded in a single, brief entry in a long-forgotten diary, which was only rediscovered in 2010, more than a century after the event.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the history of American slavery and the Underground Railroad.